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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Joshua 10


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1Now Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that, in the capture and destruction of Ai, Joshua had done to that city and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king. He heard also that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made their peace with Israel, remaining among them,2and that there was great fear abroad, because Gibeon was large enough for a royal city, larger even than the city of Ai, and all its men were brave.3So Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, sent for Hoham, king of Hebron, Piram, king of Jarmuth, Japhia, king of Lachish, and Debir, king of Eglon,4to come to his aid for an attack on Gibeon, since it had concluded peace with Joshua and the Israelites.5The five Amorite kings, of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, united all their forces and marched against Gibeon, where they took up siege positions.6Thereupon, the men of Gibeon sent an appeal to Joshua in his camp at Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up here quickly and save us. Help us, because all the Amorite kings of the mountain country have joined forces against us."7So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his picked troops and the rest of his soldiers.8Meanwhile the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your power. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."9And when Joshua made his surprise attack upon them after an all-night march from Gilgal,10the LORD threw them into disorder before him. The Israelites inflicted a great slaughter on them at Gibeon and pursued them down the Beth-horon slope, harrassing them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.11While they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon, the LORD hurled great stones from the sky above them all the way to Azekah, killing many. More died from these hailstones than the Israelites slew with the sword.12On this day, when the LORD delivered up the Amorites to the Israelites,13And the sun stood still,14Never before or since was there a day like this, when the LORD obeyed the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.15(Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.)16Meanwhile the five kings who had fled, hid in a cave at Makkedah.17When Joshua was told that the five kings had been discovered hiding in a cave at Makkedah,18he said, "Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave and post men over it to guard them.19But do not remain there yourselves. Pursue your enemies, and harry them in the rear. Do not allow them to escape to their cities, for the LORD, your God, has delivered them into your power."20Once Joshua and the Israelites had finally inflicted the last blows in this very great slaughter, and the survivors had escaped from them into the fortified cities,21all the army returned safely to Joshua and the camp at Makkedah, no man uttering a sound against the Israelites.22Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me."23Obediently, they brought out to him from the cave the five kings, of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.24When they had done so, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the soldiers who had marched with him, "Come forward and put your feet on the necks of these kings." They came forward and put their feet upon their necks.25Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed, be firm and steadfast. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight."26Thereupon Joshua struck and killed them, and hanged them on five trees, where they remained hanging until evening.27At sunset they were removed from the trees at the command of Joshua and cast into the cave where they had hidden; over the mouth of the cave large stones were placed, which remain until this very day.28Makkedah, too, Joshua captured and put to the sword at that time. He fulfilled the doom on the city, on its king, and on every person in it, leaving no survivors. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah what he had done to the king of Jericho.29Joshua then passed on with all Israel from Makkedah to Libnah, which he attacked.30Libnah also, with its king, the LORD delivered into the power of Israel. He put it to the sword with every person there, leaving no survivors. Thus he did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.31Joshua next passed on with all Israel from Libnah to Lachish, where they set up a camp during the attack.32The LORD delivered Lachish into the power of Israel, so that on the second day Joshua captured it and put it to the sword with every person in it, just as he had done to Libnah.33At that time Horam, king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his people, leaving him no survivors.34From Lachish, Joshua passed on with all Israel to Eglon; encamping near it, they attacked it35and captured it the same day, putting it to the sword. He fulfilled the doom that day on every person in it, just as he had done at Lachish.36From Eglon, Joshua went up with all Israel to Hebron, which they attacked37and captured. They put it to the sword with its king, all its towns, and every person there, leaving no survivors, just as Joshua had done to Eglon. He fulfilled the doom on it and on every person there.38Then Joshua and all Israel turned back to Debir and attacked it,39capturing it with its king and all its towns. They put them to the sword and fulfilled the doom on every person there, leaving no survivors. Thus was done to Debir and its king what had been done to Hebron, as well as to Libnah and its king.40Joshua conquered the entire country; the mountain regions, the Negeb, the foothills, and the mountain slopes, with all their kings. He left no survivors, but fulfilled the doom on all who lived there, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.41Joshua conquered from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen to Gibeon.42All these kings and their lands Joshua captured in a single campaign, for the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.43Thereupon Joshua with all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.